


Paperwork and Peppermint Kahlua

by Geekgrrllurking



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-18
Updated: 2014-11-18
Packaged: 2018-02-26 03:19:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2636102
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Geekgrrllurking/pseuds/Geekgrrllurking
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Paperwork, the bane of existence or a romantic gesture? A little peppermint Kahlua courtesy of one former mayor may just make things go a little smoother.</p>
<p>For Ariestess and anyone else having a pissy day/month/year. This bit of fluff is for you.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Paperwork and Peppermint Kahlua

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ariestess](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ariestess/gifts).



“Oh for fuck’s sake!”

A blue ballpoint pen flew across the room impaling itself into the bulletin board with a sharp thwack. 

“That can’t be good.” Regina Mills cocked an eyebrow and carefully entered the Sheriff’s station, peering around the corner for any other flying objects. “Problems, dear?” 

Emma Swan glared up at her lover, running her hand through her long blonde hair and releasing a long-suffering sigh.

“I fucking HATE paperwork.” Emma growled, pushing up from her desk and stalking over to the coffee maker to pour herself another cup. “This is all YOUR fault too by the way.”

Regina moved closer, waiting for the storm of frustration to pass and for Emma to spit out what the problem was.

“Do explain how paperwork for the new mayor of Storybrooke is MY fault. She is your mother after all,” Regina smiled sweetly and sank down into the chair beside Emma’s desk. 

“Don’t remind me,” Emma mumbled and cursed under her breath. Having your mother as your boss was a whole other level of hell to deal with. At least when Regina was mayor there had been the titillating thought of desk sex in the mayors office to offset the stress of dealing with the demanding woman. She was drawn from her thoughts as a warm hand traced along her spine, bringing her back to the dark eyes watching her carefully. 

“I brought you something to ease the curse of never-ending paperwork.” Regina slid a small bottle of peppermint Kahlua from her pocket. “And flavour that tar you call coffee.”

“Have I told you lately that I love you?” Emma’s face lit up and she grinned. Her day was looking up. Regina smiled knowingly and sauntered back over to the desk, giving Emma a stupendous view of her assets before sitting down in a spare chair.

“Hmm, last night I believe, but it was hard to hear clearly with your legs wrapped around my head.” Regina picked at an imaginary piece of lint on her sleeve, pleased at the flush blooming on Emma’s cheeks. 

Emma rolled her eyes but didn’t deny a thing. She grabbed the bottle and cracked the lid, pouring a small dash into two mugs of coffee and stirring. She handed one over to Regina and sank back down into her own chair.

“So what does Snow need now? Expense reports, budget projections? It’s not like there is a big run on crime at the moment.” Regina took a sip of her coffee, fixed exactly as she liked it, dark and sweet, the peppermint liqueur adding a lovely splash of flavour. “How much paperwork could there possibly be? Or is she still punishing you in that lovely passive aggressive way of hers for moving in with me and Henry?”

“It’s not that kind of paperwork,” Emma shifted slightly, smiling awkwardly before leaning back with a creak of her chair. She shifted the papers towards the brunette and waited for a response. 

“Is this what I think it is?” Regina’s eyes widened. She didn’t think there was anything that could shock her anymore after all this time. And yet, the Saviour had just done so, in a most everyday romantic kind of way.

“Yeah, I’m claiming you and Henry on my insurance forms and setting us up as a family for tax purposes. As a town employee it has to go through to city hall and human resources. God damn it if there isn’t a lot of hoops they want me to jump through.” Emma leaned forward and frowned down at the forms, looking over the very personal questions on the paper for what seemed like the millionth time. “Do they really need to know some of this stuff?” 

“You’re setting us up as a family?” The tone of Regina’s voice finally filtered through Emma’s frustration, sending warning bells ringing. 

“Uh, yeah,” Emma said, her eyes locking with Regina’s, taking in the welling tears with a bit of wonder and trepidation. “That’s okay, right?”

“That’s very much more than okay, dear.” Regina’s sniffed delicately and dabbed at her eyes. She quickly stood, not wanting to alarm Emma any more than she already had. “I should go and let you get back to it. Henry and I have a date to make some applesauce this afternoon. I’ll see you tonight when you get home.”

At Emma’s confused nod, Regina leaned forward to place a gentle kiss to the top of the blonde head and disappeared as quickly as she had appeared at the station.

“What the hell was that all about?” Emma asked the empty room, vaguely concerned she had done something to upset Regina. Still, she had seemed happy, but it was always hard to tell with Regina.

Emma looked down at the questions and then glanced back up at the door where Regina had just left. There was a reason she had never done this type of paperwork before. It was a level of commitment that she hadn’t been prepared to make. Now though, since being with Regina and Henry, it was the first time she had felt like part of a family. Ever. It only seemed right that she looked after them, especially now that Regina was no longer working.

This wasn’t fairytale land after all and real life meant real bills. If Henry needed those braces that the dentist had been hinting at last visit, well, she needed to make sure it was taken care of. If Regina could swear off magic, and try to find her way on the right path here in Storybrooke, then it was the least Emma could do to look after them all. 

Emma sighed and glanced at the bottle of peppermint Kahlua. Regina always seemed to know how to make her feel better. Thoughtful little things that made her feel loved. Making the bed, cooking meals that she liked, yelling at her to pick up her jeans from the floor. Normal everyday things that Emma had always longed for and wouldn’t trade for anything. It was home. Regina and Henry were home.

Her paperwork looked even less appealing now.

Emma grabbed the small bottle and slipped it into the pocket of her jacket, hanging on the back of her chair. Surely it was after 5 pm somewhere in the world and she could think of nothing better than to go home and make some cocoa and indulge with Regina.

“Fuck it, I’m off to make applesauce with my family.” Emma slipped the papers into her top drawer and stood, grabbing her red leather jacket from the back of her chair and headed for the door.

The paperwork could wait until tomorrow. 

 


End file.
